Carcinomas of the lung with neuroendocrine differentiation

While there are examples of each of the histologic types of bronchogenic carcinoma in which ectopic hormone production has been demonstrated, three groups of lung cancers manifest this type of differentiation with great regularity. These are the carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, and the small cell carcinoma, which have been called neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung. The carcinoids are neoplasms with a heterogeneous array of histologic appearances that share relatively uniform nuclear features, the absence of both tumor necrosis and mitotic figures, and a good prognosis. Neuroendocrine differentiation is demonstrable with such regularity in carcinoids that the diagnosis is not considered tenable in the absence of at least one of the following features: argyrophilia, the demonstration of neuron-specific-enolase or neuropeptides by immunohistochemistry or other techniques, or the demonstration of numerous dense-core membrane-bound granules, usually 150 to 250 nm in diameter, by electron microscopy. The atypical carcinoids (well or moderately differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas) share the neuroendocrine differentiation of the carcinoids and many of their histologic features, but are distinguished by the presence of tumor necrosis, more anaplastic large cell nuclei with numerous mitotic figures, and a distinctly worse prognosis. They are a heterogeneous lot with some similarities to carcinoids, small cell carcinomas, and large cell or adenocarcinomas. The demonstration of at least one of the neuroendocrine features listed above is considered necessary for this diagnosis. Small cell carcinoma is also a heterogeneous group of neoplasma primarily distinguished by their finely granular chromatin pattern which correlates with a much worse prognosis but a higher likelihood of response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Many small cell carcinomas share the neuroendocrine differentiation of the carcinoids or atypical carcinoids, but some do not and the demonstration of these features is not a requisite for inclusion in the small group. The morphologic demonstration of neuroendocrine differentiation may be more difficult in small cell carcinomas, but they more frequently produce clinically important amounts of ectopic neuropeptides. While the term neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung includes several quite different entities and does not by itself convey histogenetic or prognostic implications, the demonstration of neuroendocrine differentiation in pulmonary neoplasms is an important procedure when combined with the recognition of other cytologic and histologic features.     

脑死亡供体肺脏病理改变及临床移植应用前景探讨

目的观察脑死亡供体肺病理改变,探讨临床移植应用的可行性。方法对23例脑死亡供体肺进行了病理活检,HE染色、网状纤维染色及PASM染色观察肺脏组织变化,电镜观察超微结构变化。结果气管、支气管及肺泡结构尚完整,仅见局灶肺泡上皮细胞及支气管纤毛上皮细胞脱落,未见肺透明膜形成;肺泡间隔未见明显增宽、血管充血易见,血管内皮细胞未见明显改变,未见纤维化表现。电镜下肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞胞质轻微水肿,但结构尚完整;内质网扩张,基底膜未见明显改变。结论严格限定纳入标准,脑死亡供肺可以实施移植。     

Carcinoma of the lung with osseous stromal metaplasia

Calcification has long been a determinant in the radiologic distinction of a benign pulmonary mass. However, rare examples of calcification without ossification in pulmonary adenocarcinoma and ossification in the bronchial carcinoid have led some investigators to warn against this approach. A case of pulmonary adenocarcinoma with stromal ossification is reported herein. The literature is reviewed for neoplasms that exhibit pulmonary ossification either by primary or metastatic lesions. To our knowledge, this case represents the first report of benign osseous stromal metaplasia in the primary lesion of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma.     

Squamous carcinoma of the lung with osteocartilaginous stroma

An instance of a squamous carcinoma of the lung with osteocartilaginous metaplasia in the stroma is reported. This unusual stromal response is similar to extraskeletal osteocartilaginous metaplasia in any other site, and is a change which occasionally is produced by a variety of pathological and experimental conditions, including gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma and urinary tract epithelial carcinoma. This stromal response should be differentiated from a true sarcomatous participation in the tumour.     

Clear-cell proliferation of the lung with lymphangioleiomyomatosis-like change

AIMS: To describe two cases of a peculiar pulmonary lesion, which expand both the morphological and the immunophenotypic spectrum of perivascular epithelioid cell (PEC)-related disorders. METHODS AND RESULTS: One man and one female, with and without the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), respectively, showed pulmonary cysts and small nodules on computed tomography scan. In the former, lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) was suspected. In both cases, an open lung biopsy was performed, whose cut surface displayed numerous cysts lined by thin/thick septa. Microscopically, the septa were associated with micronodular or interstitial proliferation of medium/large-sized elements with abundant clear (periodic acid-Schiff-positive/diastase-sensitive) cytoplasm and distinct cell borders, embedded in fibrous tissue. The elements were CD34+, vimentin-positive and, to a lesser extent, HMB-45+ and MART-1+. The stains for specific muscle actin, desmin, S100 protein, CD31, FVIIIRAg, cytokeratins, CD45, CD68, oestrogen and progesterone receptors were all negative. Ki67 labelling was <1%. Electron microscopy displayed cytoplasmic vacuoles containing glycogen particles. The TSC1 and TSC2 gene status could not be assessed because of poor DNA preservation. In the man with TSC, a focus of micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia was also found. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the coexpression of CD34 and melanoma-associated antigens and the occurrence of TSC in one patient, the cases described here add a new piece to the puzzle of PEC lesions and contribute to the open discussion on the origin of LAM and LAM-like proliferations.     

Leydig cell tumor with lung metastasis diagnosed by lung biopsy

Leydig cell tumors are very rare and account for only 3% of testicular tumors and are generally benign. Only less than 0.2% of all testicular cancers were evidenced by metastatic spread. We report a 34-year-old man visited hospital because of coughing sputum mixed with blood. His chest CT showed bilateral patch clouding opacity. He was suspected with allergic alveolitis and treated with methylprednisolone. However, his symptoms and general condition deteriorated, and he visited our hospital. He had no abnormal findings on physical examination. A chest radiograph showed pneumonia in whole lung and CT showed multiple nodules and diffused ground glass opacities in both lung fields. Lung biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of Leydig cell tumor with lung metastasis. The diagnosis is based on the histopathology and immunohistochemistry.     

Rhabdomyomatosis of the newborn lung unassociated with other malformations

 

Aims:

To describe a case of rhabdomyomatosis of the lung unassociated with other external or visceral malformations in a newborn infant.  

Methods and results:

A 26 weeks' gestation newborn male with no relevant medical or family history presented a well-circumscribed solid area in the posterior mediastinum occupying the upper lobe of the right lung. The possibility of neuroblastoma or an extralobar pulmonary sequestration were excluded after laboratory and arteriographic studies. No visceral anomalies were found. At the age of 9 months the patient underwent a partial lobectomy, and he is free of disease 39 months after surgery. Histological examination demonstrated the presence of numerous bundles of striated fibres arranged haphazardly in the pulmonary interstitium in a background of a type-II congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation-like morphology of the resected lung.  

Conclusion:

The presence of striated muscle fibres in the lung not necessarily represents a lethal congenital malformation. As this case shows, rhabdomyomatosis of the lung can affect a single pulmonary lobe, and resection of the affected lung parenchyma may be curative. It is important for pathologists to be aware of this entity, although it is exceptional, and to include it in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary masses in the newborn lung.     

Alteration of the lung parenchyma associated with autoimmune hepatitis

Summary The clinical history, radiological and histomorphological alterations of the lung parenchyma associated with chronic active autoimmune hepatitis are described. A 6-month-old female infant developed chronic active autoimmune hepatitis associated with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. She was treated with immunosuppressive drugs, including steroids, for more than 6 years and developed symptoms and radiological signs of interstitial pneumonitis 4 years after onset of the autoimmune hepatitis. Associated bronchiectasis was detected 1 year later. No abnormalities of lung defence mechanisms could be demonstrated. Resection of the sixth left segment and of the basal parts of the left lower lobe revealed honeycombing with changes in the lung parenchyma which included chronic interstitial pneumonitis with multinucleate giant cells, seen predominantly in the distal airways, marked diffuse interstitial mononuclear infiltrates and mild diffuse interstitial fibrosis as well as bronchiectasis and organizing pneumonia. Granulomatous lesions, angiitis and necrotic areas were absent. Immunohistochemistry for immunoglobulins was negative for IgA, IgG and IgM and positive for IgD in the multinucleate giant cells. A strong positive reaction to HLA-DR-specific monoclonal antibody was noted, whereas no specific sugar receptors (endogenous lectins) could be detected by use of biotinylated glyconeoproteins.     

Aspergilloma of the lung imitating lung cancer

75-year old woman admitted to Institute of TB due to the opacity in middle lobe of the right lung is described. The chest X-ray might suggest possibility of the lung cancer. The examination of the patient did not revealed any abnormalities. At the admission the nature of the lesion was not recognised by the accessible methods. Therefore, the thoracotomy was performed, and the aspergilloma was confirmed by intraoperative histopathologic methods. The middle lobe with the lesion was totally resected. The postoperative period was uneventful. The six months follow-up revealed that patient was cured.     

急性肺损伤大鼠肺泡内中性粒细胞凋亡的延迟

目的 :观察急性肺损伤 (ALI)时中性粒细胞 (PMN)的凋亡情况 ,以阐明其在肺损伤中的作用。方法 :对盐酸内毒素造成的大鼠ALI模型行肺泡灌洗术 ,将其中的PMN及正常外周血PMN分别与ALI组及对照组的肺泡灌洗液 (BALF)孵育 ,用AnnexinV及形态学方法测其凋亡率 ,并观察白细胞介素 - 1β(IL - 1β)的表达情况。 结果 :同ALI的BALF孵育的PMN凋亡明显延迟 ,其IL - 1β的表达亦升高 ,IL - 1β与PMN的凋亡呈负相关。 结论 :ALI时 ,肺泡内PMN的渗出增加 ,凋亡延迟 ,可能与IL - 1β表达升高有关。